Astar Network introduces zkEVM, powered by Polygon CDK, facilitating seamless cross-chain transactions and enhancing Web3 experience. Join the Yoki Origins campaign for a glimpse into Japan's Web3 innovation.
Astar Network has officially introduced Astar zkEVM, a pioneering zero-knowledge layer 2 chain utilizing Polygon CDK to provide a holistic solution aimed at bridging the disjointed blockchain landscape in Japan and globally. Astar is committed to fostering connections among businesses, developers, and users within the Web3 realm, and this launch marks a significant stride toward achieving that objective.
Astar zkEVM stands as the inaugural chain to merge with Polygon’s recently revealed AggLayer, augmenting the expansion and interoperability of decentralized applications. This amalgamation positions Astar as a frontrunner in harmonizing state and liquidity, enabling cross-chain transactions with Polygon zkEVM akin to operations on a singular blockchain. This accomplishment symbolizes a fusion of the strengths of both monolithic and modular blockchain architectures.
Focusing on enhancing the Web3 user experience, Astar zkEVM introduces unified liquidity, community involvement, and nearly instantaneous atomic transactions. It signifies a pivotal milestone in Astar’s ambition to forge a more inclusive web, empowering users both in Japan and worldwide. Developers and users alike of Astar zkEVM will reap the benefits of a vast reservoir of unified liquidity and community assets, facilitating seamless cross-chain transactions without the need to be cognizant of network transitions.
“Today marks a significant initial stride in welcoming communities to a seamless multi-chain ecosystem. With Astar and numerous other ZK-powered chains set to come aboard soon, Polygon CDK and AggLayer are poised to deliver internet-scale capabilities to the crypto domain,” remarked Sandeep Nailwal, co-founder of Polygon, emphasizing the significance of this integration.
The mainnet debut follows a successful testnet phase, which witnessed approximately 5,000 contracts deployed and nearly half a million transactions processed. Noteworthy advancements include Deloitte’s development of an NFT game for a Japanese Government Sports Agency and the emergence of the PACKS platform for trading tokenized Pokemon cards.
Japanese entities are already harnessing Astar zkEVM for innovative ventures. Hakuhodo Inc. and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. have embarked on the KOKYO NFT initiative, digitizing local experiences and assets to enrich the bond between Japanese tourism and international travelers.
“Our integration into the AggLayer and sustained investment in development solidify Astar zkEVM’s position as Japan’s Web3 nucleus for innovation, entertainment, and retail dApps,” affirmed Sota Watanabe, founder of Astar Network. “Astar leads Japan’s Web3 expansion across enterprise, retail, and governmental sectors, driving Web3 as a pivotal element of Japan’s national innovation strategy.”
In anticipation of the mainnet launch, Astar Network has introduced new tokenomics tailored for long-term success and ecosystem enrichment. The network is poised to offer comprehensive support to developers by integrating infrastructure projects such as LayerZero, The Graph, Pyth, Gelato, and other prominent Web3 services.
Astar zkEVM’s advanced Web3 infrastructure, powered by AggLayer and Polygon CDK, is primed to spearhead widespread adoption with the commencement of the mainnet launch campaign, Yoki Origins. This initiative invites participants to explore and collect Yoki characters, inspired by Japanese supernatural entities, the Youkai, while collaborating with talented artists and Web3 innovators.